“So it was the one and only time I consulted a dictionary when writing a lyric.” And for the music, his attention to detail bordered on the obsessive. Supertramp keyboard player Roger Hodgson, who wrote this song and sang the lead vocals, said in a 2012 Songfacts interview: "I think it was very relevant when I wrote it, … In 2001, a cover version by the band Scooter returned the song to the top 10 in several European countries. It makes the point that logic can restrict creativity and passion. "The Logical Song" is a song by the English rock group Supertramp that was released as the lead single from their album Breakfast in America in March 1979. In 1979, Paul McCartney was asked to name his favourite song of the year. And in that moment, the whole concept for the song came into focus. “When you’re writing a song,” he says, “sometimes you feel like you’re eighty per cent successful, but with The Logical Song I felt like I’d nailed it one hundred per cent. Roger left the band in 1983 and released two solo albums before becoming a full time parent in 1987. “So we put it in the run-out after I sang the word ‘digital’.”. Visit our corporate site. Said Hodgson: "From singing absolute nonsense, a line will pop up that suddenly makes sense, then another one, and so on. Its first-person narrative made specific reference to his years at boarding school as a ‘shy and sensitive’ boy, deeply affected by his parents’ divorce when he was 12:_ ‘They sent me away to teach me how to be sensible, logical, responsible, practical/And they showed me a world where I could be so dependable, clinical, intellectual, cynical…’_, Hodgson invested “a lot of work” in the lyrics. Credited to Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson, it was a top-ten hit in the UK and a live version of the song reached No. Billy Ocean's "Caribbean Queen" was also recorded as "European Queen" and "African Queen" for release on those continents. Hold OnWilson Phillips. Bowie had recently died, and Asaf Avidan was doing some deep thinking and intense personal reflection. The Breakfast In America album was very different from Supertramp's previous albums, which were more conceptual and elaborate.Breakfast was designed to have pop appeal, which is why they included this song that Hodgson had written eight years earlier. And as I started singing the melody, the first word that came to me was ‘liberal’…”, Immediately, Hodgson reeled off words that rhymed: intellectual, radical… logical. Supertramp members John Helliwell and Roger Hodgson have given the band favorable reviews, and Helliwell has joined them on stage. Test your metal - Priest, Maiden, and Beavis and Butt-head show up in this one. At a concert appearance, Roger Hodgson said of this song: "I was sent to boarding school for ten years and I definitely emerged from that experience with a lot of questions, like What the hell happened to me? The Logical Song: School Doesn’t Teach Us What Life Is About The Logical Song by the British rock group Supertramp became a mega world-wide sensation when it was released in 1979. Sign up below to get the latest from Classic Rock, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox! The lyrics tell about a person who has never been to the United States and fantasizes about it. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, BA1 1UA. The song was released as the lead single from their sixth studio album, Breakfast in America (1979), in March 1979 by A&M Records. Thirty-four years on - and 30 since he exited Supertramp - Roger Hodgson still sings The Logical Song … Every line in the song can be understood to be about Rick and Roger. Facts about “The Logical Song” Supertramp is a rock group from London whose main years of togetherness was throughout the 1970s and 80s. Some of Roger's are "Give a Little Bit," "Take the Long Way Home," "The Logical Song" and "Breakfast in America" (the one that Gym Class Heroes reworked on " Cupid's Chokehold "). The electric piano riff was the foundation. However, the end justified the means. My InterpretationThis song is a story from the narrator's point of view, who started off thinking the Hollywood life would be all that and a bag of chips, but realizes that it isn't all that it's cracked up to be. “Right away, I knew what I wanted to say. Throughout childhood we’re taught how to behave, yet we’re very rarely told anything about the deeper purpose of life. artistfacts. 2. And in 1984, another joke band, The Hee Bee Gee Bees, recorded a parody titled The Scatological Song. Thirty-four years on – and 30 since he exited Supertramp – Roger Hodgson still sings The Logical Song every night when he performs as a solo artist. The title "Earth Odyssey" referes to Homer's epic Greek poem the Odyssey by way of David Bowie's "Space Oddity." General CommentFor me, it is about the way society prefers to create non thinking robots than facing the age old philosophical and spiritual questions that have been asked since time began. 1 in all Canada, and multi-Platinum and Gold in France and Germany. As a songwriter and producer, Narada had hits with Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Starship. Roger left the band in 1983 and released two solo albums before becoming a full time parent in 1987. Supertramp Lyrics, Songs, Albums And More at SongMeanings! Until December 5, 1998, a song had to be issued as a single to make the Hot 100. And the way I see it, if a song is worthy of parody,then it’s a good song.”. As a child where the world is a magical place. "The Logical Song" is Supertramp's biggest hit in the United States and the United Kingdom. Released in the summer of 1979, The Logical Song was acclaimed by Rolling Stone as "a small masterpiece", and its success turned Supertramp into superstars. What is life about? “I can still hit that big note at the end of the song,” he laughs. Roger Hodgson interview Link to post "The Logical Song" by Supertramp. Bath Eric Clapton's only Hot 100 #1, either solo or with one of his many bands, was his cover of Bob Marley's "I Shot The Sheriff.". Not that Hodgson was offended. Rebranded as Ramp! He'll try different words and phrases to get ideas for his lyrics, which is how the title of this song came about. And in the end, I found it.”, In 2001, Supertramp’s hit was reworked by German ‘hard dance’ act Scooter as a high-energy techno anthem. The New York-born musician is a member of the band White China. ", This was a very personal song for Roger Hodgson, he would work on the song during soundchecks, and completed it long before bringing it to the band. Said Roger: "I had actually finished the words and the arrangement six months before I proposed it to the band for the album - I didn't think anyone would like it. It makes the point that logic can restrict creativity and passion. Released in the summer of 1979, The Logical Song was acclaimed by Rolling Stone as “a small masterpiece”, and its success turned Supertramp into superstars. And if so, in what way has it been misunderstood over the years? The sound itself indicated a player had lost control of the football. Interestingly enough this song has the distinction of being one of the most quoted lyrics in schools.". In 1979, British comedy pop group The Barron Knights delivered a weak spoof, The Topical Song. Aaliyah's "Try Again" was the first tune to top the chart based on airplay alone, without any sales figures being included. He sang a medley of his most popular songs: "Dreamer", "The Logical Song", "Breakfast in America" and "Give A Little Bit". In 2004, a Supertramp tribute band called Logicaltramp formed in the UK. In 1980, Hodgson won the Ivor Novello Award from The British Academy of Composers and Songwriters, who named "The Logical Song" the best song both musically and lyrically of that year. "When seeds that you sow grow by the wicked moon/Be sure your sins will find you out/Your past will hunt you down and turn to tell on you.". Question 7: What '80s hit contains the line, "Long as the night will be, the sun will rise without you." Question 9: And haven't you learned yet: I'm always right! It has been certified gold by the BPI, selling over 400,000 copies and was the 15th best selling single of 2002. An Allen Ginsberg line from his poem Howl inspired "Machinehead" by Bush: "Machine says I saw the best minds of my generation.". Songfacts®: The lyrics are about how the innocence and wonder of childhood can quickly give way to worry and cynicism as children are taught to be responsible adults. Roger Hodgson, co-founder of Supertramp, wrote and composed this classic, The Logical Song, which is just as relevant today as it was when it was released. It's good, but not as good as those. 62 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1981. But what song does he feel had the greatest impact on his career? A monthly update on our latest interviews, stories and added songs, The lyrics are about how the innocence and wonder of childhood can quickly give way to worry and cynicism as children are taught to be responsible adults. Everything was orchestrated and that’s why it works so well.”, Incorporated into the finished track were various sound effects. “It takesa lot to tweak me,” he says. With Bernie Taupin, Martin co-wrote the #1 hits "We Built This City" and "These Dreams." “I had to come up with all the words ending in ‘al’,” he says. It's the album where they got another few of their hits, including "Dreamer," and "Bloody Well Right." "Don't Shed A Tear" by Paul Carrack. The burning question in that song was: ‘Please tell me who I am.’ I’m 62 now, and I still don’t have all the answers. "Logical Song" lyrics. 6 on the US Billboard chart. The Logical Song should also be higher. “I’m pretty good at laughing at myself. The Logical Song (1979) More Songfacts: Fallin'Alicia Keys. After writing the Pretty Woman song for Go West, he had his own hit with "In the House of Stone and Light.". A educational and ''Logical Song'' about the simple upbringing of the young man that enjoyed life naturally, being in his nature as one with God that was taken out of his natural nature state of upbringing that altered his state of mind. This device, which predated Nintendo, provided an unusual sounding, layered bleep. I think it's very easy to understand, actually. I normally would get to here more 60's and 70's tommorrow as I am going to the US for a concert but unfortunatly the station all the Canadians listen to that is full of 60's and 70's music changed to country. Get the Sheet Music License This Song . He chose The Logical Song by Supertramp. You will receive a verification email shortly. It was written primarily by the band's Roger Hodgson, who based the lyrics on his experiences being sent away to boarding school for ten years. When I was young, it seemed that life was so wonderful. The Squeeze song "Tempted" is one of their few with lead vocals by Paul Carrack, who sang the Ace song "How Long" and was in Mike + The Mechanics. Louder is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. As a melody, a lyric, an arrangement and a recording, it really is perfect in its completeness.”, The Logical Song was the biggest hit of Supertramp’s career, reaching the Top Ten in the US and UK, and transforming parent album Breakfast In America into a chart-topping, multimillion-selling phenomenon. “I was 29 when I wrote The Logical Song,” he says. The NME writers ranked "Black Dog" as the fourth-best song … “I used to go through all the parts, even down to drum fills. Breakfast in America is fine, but I think they messed up on this. The lyric to "Hold On" by Wilson Phillips was inspired by Chynna Phillips' struggles with addiction. Roger: I've never heard it actually being misunderstood. Songfacts - the stories and meanings behind the songs, with songwriter interviews and lyrics. “But it is damn high.”, Most importantly of all for Hodgson, it’s a song that has lost none of its meaning. It also won a prestigious Ivor Novello award for Best Song Musically And Lyrically. A miracle, oh it was beautiful, magical. John Helliwell, having contributed a rasping saxophone solo, provided the heavy sigh in the intro and blew a whistle to signal the outro. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. To accentuate the "d-d-digital" line in the lyrics, the band borrowed a Mattel handheld electronic football game from an engineer named Richard Digby-Smith, who was working next door. And in The Logical Song, Hodgson drew on the experiences of his own troubled childhood to create an existentialist pop-rock classic in which he addressed the biggest question of all: the meaning of life. General CommentThe song is the perfect start to the concept album that is Crime of the Century.There is a theme that runs though the album, and it starts off with someone (possibly Rudy) in his younger years, and just starting to question life. (The Logical Song), it topped the charts in Australia, Ireland and Norway, and hit the Top Ten in six other countries. Lyrics for The Logical Song by Supertramp - Songfacts. Link to post All rights reserved. song lyrics, song meanings, albums, music and more. 'Logical Song' was really a light hearted way of saying something pretty deep. 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